Bihar legislator uses muscle power to grab prime property

Patna, Aug 11 (IANS) Bihar’s ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) legislator Anant Singh has landed in trouble yet again. His henchmen have now been accused of attacking a jewellery showroom here in an attempt to forcibly grab the prime property, police said Monday. Singh’s henchmen allegedly attacked a Tanishq jewellery showroom Sunday and threatened to bulldoze the shop’s wall if it was not vacated, creating panic among the staffers.

“Eight to ten armed henchmen of Singh attacked the showroom and threatened to break down the wall if the shop was not vacated soon,” said Navin Kumar, an employee of the showroom located on Frazer Road in the heart of the state capital.

Navin lodged a complaint with the Kotwali police station.

“Singh’s men fled after a police team arrived,” another Tanishq employee said.

Mundrika Prasad Singh, officer in charge of the Kotwali police station, said that investigations into the matter had begun.

The shocked showroom staffers have now demanded security as they fear Singh’s men might harm them. A nearby shopkeeper said this was the fourth such attack on the shop.

The Patna High Court in February had directed the sub-divisional officer concerned to provide security to the shop owner as well as his business centre, but the court’s order is yet to be executed by the administration.

Singh has reportedly grabbed a number of prime properties in Patna by using muscle power, but not many people dare oppose him.

“Singh’s terror is such that nobody wants to risk his life,” said another shopkeeper in the locality.

Singh, who is considered close to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is seen as a terror in Bihar and has over two dozen criminal charges against him. He was arrested with four of his henchmen for attacking journalists in November last year.

Earlier this year, the legislator was named an accused for the murder of his close relative, Sanjay Singh, a contractor.

In 2004, Singh was seen brandishing an AK-47 rifle in public, but no action was taken against him. Under the law, only security personnel are allowed to carry the assault rifle.